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Congress·In Committee·about 2 months ago

Congress Proposes Bill to Ban Federal Officials from Targeting Citizens for Political Speech

Also known as: No Political Enemies Act

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
Senate
House
President

Impact Analysis

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Key Points

  • This bill would ban federal officials, including the President and Vice President, from using government power to investigate or punish people because of their political views or speech. It aims to ensure that the government cannot treat citizens as 'enemies' simply for disagreeing with those in power.
  • If the government brings a case against someone, that person can argue in court that the case was politically motivated. If they provide evidence, the government must then prove with high-level evidence that they had a legitimate, non-political reason for their actions.
  • The policy allows individuals and organizations to sue federal officials for money if their rights were violated through political targeting. It also makes it harder for government officials to claim they are immune from these types of lawsuits.
  • The government would be prohibited from spending any federal money on investigations or legal actions that are primarily driven by a desire to suppress someone's speech or political participation.
  • The Department of Justice would be required to send regular reports to Congress about sensitive investigations and prosecutions. This is intended to provide more oversight and make sure the law is being followed.
Civil RightsCriminal Justice

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Jan 14, 2026Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Jan 14, 2026

Introduced in Senate

Related News

6 articles
Politico·20 days ago

Republicans prepare Homeland Security spending stopgap

Senate leaders are preparing a continuing resolution as DHS funding talks stall. Democrats have pushed for accountability measures like the No Political Enemies Act following recent federal enforcement incidents in Minneapolis that resulted in the deaths of protesters.

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New York Times·6 months ago

Democrats Pitch Bill to Protect Speech Targeted by Trump

The proposed 'No Political Enemies Act' would create a specific legal defense for those targeted for political reasons and make it easier to sue federal officials for abusing their power. The bill follows the suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel and threats of license revocations.

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The Hill·6 months ago

Democratic Bill Would Protect People Targeted By Government for Political Speech

The No Political Enemies Act (NOPE) would expand legal protections for people targeted by government officials over political speech. Sponsors accused the administration of exploiting a recent tragedy to launch a 'witch hunt' against critics and media outlets.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

No Political Enemies Act

Bill NumberS 3646
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(10)
D: 10

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.